Culture: Egyptian.

Date: 380 - 342 B.C. (30th Dynasty).

Material: Limestone.

Condition: Intact, very good.

Provenance: Ex: American private collection from the 1950's.

Measurements: 23 3/4 inches long (60.3 cms), 9 1/2 inches high (24 cms).

Recumbent wit his head turned to the left, the left forepaw resting on the upward-turned right forepaw, the powerfully carved head with stylized mane and ruff. An exceptional lion and very rare especially this size and condition.
This lion is among a group that were probably inspired by the monumental lion carved during the reign of Nectanebo (380 - 362 BC), now in the Vatican, Museo Gregoriano Egizio. For other examples, see Mildenberg Collection no. 51, also Sotheby's Abemayer collection, no. 302, another, Egyptomania, no. 208, now in the Louvre. Here Christine Ziegler noted that "the sense of movement and suppleness emanating from these cats contrast with rigidity of the pharanoic sphinxes and has long intrigued the experts".
Cf: no. 104 Sotheby's The Charles Pankow Collection of Egyptian Art, 2004 (smaller scale 10 3/4 inches),no. 193, Sotheby's 2001 auction (larger example 49 1/2 inches, est. $100,000 - $150,000, sold for $154,250).

Antiquities
Ancient Roman